Grad Tech Summer: Bobby Gooch (MBA 2015)

Hey Everyone – just wanted to post some quick thoughts and impressions from my summer internship. Contact info above; feel free to reach out with questions.

-Where did I work? What does the company do?
I spent my summer working for OrderGroove, a small software company (about 40 people) based in NYC. OrderGroove helps large retailers set up subscription services. For example, if you are shopping for vitamins on CVS.com and decide you want them auto-delivered every 3 months, we set up the software to manage that program and develop best practices to help improve acquisition and retention.

-What is my role?
I work as an Analyst on the Marketing Analytics team. Essentially, I organize and interpret data to help internal teams and clients get a better understanding of the metrics related to their subscription program. I use these insights to help the company run better A/B tests, make product decisions, and develop marketing content.

-How did I find the internship?
I met an OrderGroove team member at a startup fair down in NYC. We chatted for a few minutes about my past experience and what sort of role I was looking for. I followed up a couple of days later, was asked to do about 4 or 5 phone/video interviews over the course of a week, and accepted an offer about a week before classes ended.

Quick aside: These sorts of job fairs go on throughout the year and they are a great way to meet a lot of companies in a short amount of time (BC actually hosts its own event in the spring, and you can check out http://startupjobfair.org/ for events in other cities).

-What are the top 2-3 classes from BC that have been most helpful?
Market Research: My primary responsibility is to aggregate data, determine what that data is telling us, and use it to make recommendations to other teams in the company. Market Research was great prep for this.
Statistics: I spend part of my time actually conducting A/B tests and determining their statistical significance. Always good to have a grasp of stats basics.
E-Commerce: It’s important to understand the current state of the industry and learn more about where it may be headed in the future.

-How will my experiences this summer inform my final year?
I’ve decided to keep working part-time for the company during the school year, and I’ll be heading back down to work for them full-time in May.

-What energizes you about the Tech field?
It’s attracting a lot of smart, motivated people. Yes, that may make it more competitive, but I think it also makes it more exciting. There are lots of people out there with good ideas and a passion for technology, and I think it’s an exciting time to be involved in the industry.

-What advice would you give to MBA looking to break into Tech and/or your particular space?
“Can’t knock the hustle”…. Take the initiative to introduce yourself to people in the industry and expand your network. Learn as much as you can about companies, job functions and industry trends. Check out events like Cyberposium and various job fairs. You’ll find most of these internships, especially at smaller companies, by doing research on your own and creating your own opportunities. It’s a bit of extra work, but it’s worth it. Finally – be patient. While you should be doing research and building your network ASAP, many small tech companies won’t even be considering summer interns until April or May, simply because their planning is very short-term (consider picking up some part-time working during the school year for a Boston-based company). Don’t worry if you don’t have something locked up as the end of the year approaches; just keep putting in the time to find the right opportunity.

Bobby Gooch is a 2nd Year MBA at Boston College and a member of the Grad Tech Club